2026-07-23 14:30 UTC
Hiberno-English word/phrase of the day:
Cailín
(Also: "colleen")
"Cailín" in it's variant spelling is probably one of the most familiar Hiberno-English words, it means, "girl" or "maiden".
#ireland #slang #language
Replies (1)
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@Fionnbharr@mastodon.ie 2026-07-23 14:30
It comes from the Old Irish word "caile" (maid, female servant) combined with the small or tender suffix "-ín". "Caile" is the root word meaning maid or girl. It connects far back to old Latin ("pellex", meaning concubine or mistress) and "-ín" is a standard Irish suffix used to make a word mean a little version of something. #ireland #slang #language